What a comfortable night with the new mattress topper and the king size duvet. However I throughout our married life have always slept on R’s left. Now we have a challenge because the right side of the bed has a cupboard at the foot whereas on the left you can hang out your feet – quite an advantage when you are 6ft 3″ on a 6ft long mattress. So I tried sleeping on the left but last night we reverted to our usual bed position and R slept diagonally. He said it was fine, the only concern being a night visitation to the small room when I awoke to find him half straddled over me and the floor, not quite sure what limb to move to get out of his uncomfortable pose! Perhaps I just have to learn to adapt.
I have been like a kid with a doll’s house, playing around with everything to find the ‘right’ home. So satisfying finding solutions for small spaces. We’ve put the table away on the wall where it fits perfectly preferring to use a smaller picnic table with only the two of us. This folds away leaving us a little more space to move around and maybe encourage me to restart Jo Wicks for the over 60’s before I seize up altogether! I bought some resistance bands a few months ago but needless to say they are still in their packet as I have no idea what to do with them! Back to tabletalk – R was concerned as to where my coffee cup would go after supper so today I have found 2 stools, one that will double up as a side table and one I can use in our cabin for my early morning tea! In my search I found a camping armchair, padded for comfort with an extra high back. I think that’s R’s Christmas present sorted!
Getting the washing done has proved a bit of a challenge as the tumble dryer seemed to be full of clothes but no one around to claim them. I waited patiently for a couple of hours and then decided enough was enough so removed and folded them before putting in my damp clothes. In my absent mindedness I then fed half my tokens into the washing machine, not the drier! The Scot in me came to the fore and I went to find more washing so as not to waste my two pounds. Only problem now is the electricity tokens ran out before the cycle ended and the office is shut until tomorrow! We are fortunate though to have an actual airing cupboard on the boat which gets toasty warm when the engine is running – how convenient is that! I am now on the lookout for a spin dryer that we have enough power to actually run. It will have to live in the shower but small price to pay so that I always know I can wash out my smalls!
Our boat batteries are running a bit low – indicated by a light on the fridge flashing indignantly so we are going to go on a little trip tomorrow to Braunston and maybe even Rugby. The weather is set to rain hard on Tuesday so it depends how hardy we are feeling as to whether we stay a couple of nights away from hookup and marina comforts. I’m learning alot about batteries and engines. This afternoon found me topping up the engine coolant with antifreeze and also the radiator water.
In the car we passed a pub on the way to church that we called in on our way home for internet and my Sunday sherry. (Impressed that they stocked it – not many do). I realised it was the same pub I had walked to from our boat in April when moored at the top of the Napton flight. It’s so strange marrying up the geography of where we are. It had been a very strenuous walk just to get some supper – the nearer pub to the flight, the Folly, was unfortunately shut at the time.
Going to church we were welcomed like long lost friends because they remembered us from our visit six weeks ago when we were awaiting DayDream. (The day I also broke the CoOp’s frozen yogurt machine – we cruised slowly past just to make sure it now looked to be working, loathe to show my face!) One lady at church, P, told me she is involved in a week long Christian rally at Napton next Easter for caravaners and only yesterday had remarked that she would love a narrowboat to give little cruises along the cut during the week. I think that sounds an excellent idea so I may have a part to play and once again the timing feels like a Godinstance. It really excites me to think how Naomhog may be used in all sorts of ways. P’s daughter who has special needs was very excited by my Christmassy sparkly gloves, given to me by a friend in Farnham before we left home in October. Today was their first outing as I feel Christmas really is just around the corner. I suggested to P that she bring M, her daughter, to visit us this week and we may be able to go on a little jaunt along the cut. M was super excited by this idea so I hope the weather plays ball – it looks set to rain for most of the week.
NarrowboatTLC 